Ophthalmic lenses, such as contact lenses, particularly soft contact lenses, are generally manufactured in automated production processes well known in the art. Depending on the lens forming materials used and according to the production method applied, the contact lenses have to be immersed in specific treatment liquids such as extraction liquids, rinsing liquids, coating liquids, etc., to obtain the final contact lens which is suitable to be worn in direct contact with the wearer's eye. For that purpose it is known to transport the contact lenses through several baths containing such treatment liquids. For example, the contact lenses are introduced into containers arranged in a transport carrier which is moved along the length of the individual baths such that the contact lenses contained in the respective containers are exposed to the treatment liquid of the respective bath. Movement of the transport carrier is performed such that the contact lens in the respective container always is in contact with the treatment liquid of the respective bath. After having passed through one bath, the containers arranged in the transport carrier are transferred to a further treatment bath containing a further treatment liquid.
US 2011/0089053 A1 discloses a container for the accommodation of a contact lens during a lens treatment process such as extraction and/or rinsing and/or coating processes. The container is molded in one piece and comprises an elongated tubular body with a sidewall, and further comprises at a distal end thereof a bottom which protrudes convexly towards the outside. The bottom is provided with a number of apertures which enable flow of a liquid into and out of the tubular body. A retaining element is arranged inside the tubular body which is attached inside the tubular body by means of lugs engaging in corresponding apertures in the sidewall of the tubular body. The retaining element is flexible and allows access of a transfer means into the tubular body towards the bottom thereof for insertion and removal of a contact lens, and also enables a free rising of the liquid inside the tubular body while at the same time preventing the contact lens from being washed out of the tubular body.
US 2014/174956 A1 discloses a similar container having a leg portion comprising four legs (extending along the longitudinal axis of the container) and a convex containment portion at the distal end of the container to hold the contact lens during the transport of the contact lens through the various baths. A retainer ring is arranged inside the leg portion and clamps the circumferential portion of a retaining element against the inner sidewall of the leg portion of the container. The container is molded in one piece. Between the legs of the leg portion flow openings are arranged, so that the container allows for a stacked arrangement of containers in which the bottom portion of one container is arranged within the leg portion of another container and still allows for a good contact of the contact lens held in the containment portion of the “inner” container with the treatment liquid.